Improvement in shaft-couplings



U' rrnn S'rnrns P rrnr MOSES HAWKINS, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TOIt. M.- BASSE'IT T. S. BASSETT, AND MOSES HAWKINS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHAFT-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,345, dated September25, 18616.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Moses Hawkins, of Derby, New Haven county, in theState of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Method of CouplingLines of Shafting; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved mode of coupling or uniting thelengths in lines of sl1afting;and has for its object to effect thecoupling in a simple, economic, effective, and durable manner, while atthe same time the coupling shall constitute the journal or bearing, andmay be readily shifted to admit of the extraction of a length of the shaft-ing when desired; and to these ends my invention consists in theemployment of a peculiarly-shaped key in connection with the shafts endsand a surrounding collar, all as hereinafter fully described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make a-nd use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same, referring by letters to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of thecoupled ends of two lengths of shafting embracing my invention. Fig. 2is a top view of same with the collar partially broken away to showshape ofkey, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of shaft end.

In the several figures the same parts are designated by the same lettersof reference.

A B are the ends oftwo lengths of a line of shafting. C is the couplingand journal band or sleeve. d d are retainingcollars. Eis thelockingkey, and f a tightening-key or wedge. The sleeve C is a simplecylindrical shell7 which may be made of wrought-iron, and which Ipropose to turn inside of a bore just adapted to accommodate thediameter of the shafts A B, and of a size outside, (or of an externaldiameter,) suitable to form the journal or bearing of the shafting, andadapted to run in the box or hanger. On the inner surface of said sleeveC is cut a longitudinal slot or spline of a width corresponding to thewidth of the key E, and deep enough to receive the. said key, and also atightening key or wedge f. (See Fig. l.)

The peculiar form of key E is clearly seen in the drawings, as also theforni of the keyseat in the end of shafting. It will he seen that thestraight portion of said key lies partially in the slot of sleeve C andpartly in the slots in the ends ofshafts A Bin the usual manner, thuspreventing the turning of the shafts ends. or cit-her of them, in thesaid sleeve; and it will also be observed that at the end of each slotin each shaft the latter is slabbed out or cross-slotted to a depthequal to the depth of said slot to accommodate the lugsor cross-keyportions i of the key E, which hold the shaft ends A B togetherlongitudinally.

The kcyf is driven in to take up any slight backlash or lack of fitbetween the diameter of shafts ends and bore of sleeve C. l

The collars d d, are employed simply to hold the sleeve C laterally inthe proper position in the box or hanger, and they may be fastened tothe shaftin g by a simple set-screw, m, or in any other suitable mannerthat will permit their ready removal or adjustment.

rIhe operation of my improved coupling may be explained in few words:The shafts ends being splined out longitudinally and crossslotted, asshown and deseribed,and the sleeve C and keys E andf made as shown, thesleeve C is slid over onto one shaft end-for instance, A.`4 The two endsA and B are now brought into position and the key E inserted, when thesleeve C is slid over B, so as to surround both 4 The tightening key VorA and B, as shown. wedgcfis then inserted and driven in tight, and,after placing the sleeveC in its journ al-box or hanger, the collars d d(which were rst slipped onto the shafts) are brought up each side of thebox and fastened on the shafting by the set-screws m.

It will be seen that with my new mode of coupling' the shafts may beturned up of a given length, and the key-seats cut in their ends all ofa size, aud the sleeves C and keys E all made to fit anywhere on theline at comparatively a small cost, and that when the coupling iseffected, which is most easily accomplished, the shafts are heldperfectly in line and without any backlash circumferentially, and in amost secure manner.

1t will be observed that in my improved mode of coupling, the adjacentends of two lengths of shafting are'held together longitudinally, andare also held circumferentially in the sleeve C by means of the slotsand a single key, E, shaped as shown and described, which was neverbefore done in any coupling` to my knowledge; and it will also beobserved that the peculiar shape of key shown is not essential so longas the shape is such as to cffect the double purpose, as just explained.

Whenever it becomes necessary to remove a lengt-h of shafting, or even abearing, it is only necessary to loosen the collars d d, (or one oftheni,) slip said collars out of the way, loosen up the wedgef, slidesleeve C to one side, and lift out either shaft, and, if necessary torcnew the sleeve C, puton a new one.

Having,` fully explained my improved mode of coupling, and wishing to beunderstood as not limiting myself to the precise forms or proportions ofany of the devices so long as they are so constructed and arranged ast'o carry out the functions ascribed to them, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The use, in combination with asurrounding, sleeve and the slottedshafts ends, of a key, E, so shaped and the whole so arranged as to lockthe shafts ends longitudinally together and key them both in the sleeve,substantially as set forth.

2. .Forming the `journals of the shafting of the coupling-sleeve C,substantially as hereinbefore described.

In wit-ness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st dayof July, 1866.

MOSES HAWKINS. lL. 8.]

In presence of- DAvin TonRANcn, WM. B. Woosrnn.

